Lesson Plan Pilgrims, the Mayflower Compact, and Thanksgiving Government and Civics, Religion and Philosophy, World History 3, 4, 5 Click here to download this four-lesson unit.
Lesson Plan “A City upon a Hill” from John Winthrop’s “A Modell of Christian Charity,” 1630 Government and Civics 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 Click here to download this four-lesson unit.
Lesson Plan Differing Views of Pilgrims and American Indians in Seventeenth-Century New England Economics, Government and Civics 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Background Wampanoags Much of what is known about early Wampanoag history comes from archaeological evidence, the Wampanoag oral tradition (much of which has been lost), and documents created by seventeenth-century English colonists....
Lesson Plan Democracy in Early America: Servitude and the Treatment of Native Americans and Africans prior to 1740 World History 9, 10, 11, 12, 13+ Essential Questions How did European explorers and colonists who came to the New World for "Gold, Glory and/or God" justify their treatment of Native Americans, enslaved Africans, and indentured servants? To what extent were there...
Lesson Plan The Virginia Colony 9, 10 Objective In presenting to students documents dating from the earliest European contact with the Americas, teachers are faced with problems of accessibility. The language is often daunting, and the relevance for students of American...
Lesson Plan Religion and Literacy in Colonial New England Religion and Philosophy 5, 6, 7, 8 Historical Background Puritans believed that reading the Bible was important to achieving salvation and, therefore, teaching children to read was a priority in their colonial centers. The New England Primer , first published in Boston...
Lesson Plan New Amsterdam: The Center of the Dutch Settlement Geography 9, 10, 11, 12, 13+ Teaching with Russell Shorto’s book Island at the Center of the World Objectives Students will examine primary documents and secondary sources to analyze the effects of the Dutch West India Company settlement in North America....
Lesson Plan The Great Awakening Religion and Philosophy 5, 6, 7, 8 Historical Background The most important religious development in colonial America was the introduction of religious revivals known as the Great Awakening. Religious revivals first appeared in England, Scotland, and Germany, and...
Lesson Plan Religion and the American Revolution Religion and Philosophy 9, 10, 11, 12 Historical Background While the dominant narrative of the American Revolution focuses on its political causes, the factor of religion cannot be ignored. Many settlers came to the North American colonies seeking the freedom to practice...